School sport: Emotan College wins Rugby double

Children playing rugby...starting young is the key
Children playing rugby…starting young is the key

*10 schools competed for honours

Emotan Junior & Senior Secondary School won a double in the much talked about 3rd friendly matches of the Edo State Schools Rugby programme tagged “Get into Rugby” which took place on Thursday 17 November 2016 at the Emotan School from 10am – 4pm.

In the primary School category, Ohuoba primary school won the trophy and a cash prize from the Chairman, Architect Frank Evbuomwan, plus an individual award of “most promising talent” award from one of the Board members, Architect Aro Osayimwen

The junior secondary girls category saw Emotan junior girls defeating Ihogbe secondary school by 20 un-replied points to win the Junior secondary girls trophy and the accompanying cash prize from the chairman.

Miss Ebere Agusebo of Emotan School also won the “most promising talent” award from Architect Aro Osayimwen.
Emotan senior girls made it a double for the host school as they beat neighbours, Idia College by 15 points to 5 points in a keenly contested encounter that got the whole school troop out of their class rooms to watch the entertaining spectacle.

Rugby at the senior level...this is what the Edo kids will look forward to
Rugby at the senior level…this is what the Edo kids will look forward to

The secondary school boys category saw stamina and grit as fives schools namely Niger Collage, Ogbe Secondary School, Prisons Secondary School, Ihogbe Secondary School and Asoro Grammar School slugged it out.

At the end of the grilling encounter amidst the heavy down pour of rains, Asoro Grammar School carried the day by defeating Ogbe Secondary School by 10 points to 5 points in the finals which was watched by a mammoth crowd of students and passers-by.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Edo State Rugby Association Architect Frank Evbuomwan – the immediate past Hon. Commissioner for Housing & Rural Development made good his promise by presenting his donation of First Aid kits to all the participating schools during the friendly match at the end of the occasion.

According to the coordinator of the programme and Head Coach of the Edo State Rugby Association & World Rugby Educator for Nigeria, popularly called “Mr Rugby”- Ntiense Williams, “this was a very exciting rugby tourney. A good display of beautiful rugby artistry by young talents who are definitely going to be the new generation of rugby players in Nigeria in the nearest future”

Said he, “the programme is a World Rugby “Catch Them Young” project tagged “Get into Rugby” which Edo State was privileged to be one of the 8 States to run a pilot programme in Nigeria.”

According to Williams, “we are sincerely grateful to the Chairman and Board Members of the Edo State Rugby Association for their full support of the programme. They have through the energetic chairman Architect Frank Evbuomwan donated / sponsored the programme for the benefit of our children”

The Chairman who has already fallen in love with the beautiful game in Edo State have already keyed into the one of the three ethos of Rugby which is ‘Safety’. Thus, the need for the First Aid kits to assist their training in case of any possible injury to the participants in their respective schools. You will also remember that earlier in the year, he had donated two rugby balls each to all the participating schools.”

We are the future...watch out when we bloom
We are the future…watch out when we bloom

According to the Chairman, Arc. Frank Evbuomwan, “We are pleased to support the development of the beautiful game of rugby especially in Edo State the home of sports in Nigeria”

Said he, “This is more important especially given the fact that this is for our children. Catching Them Young is the best and genuine way to develop sports in our country and we will like to support it wholeheartedly. We will continue to encourage them with the necessary requirement for proper training of our youths in this alternate sport in the country.

According to the former Honourable Commissioner, “We are also planning to host the 1st Edo State Schools Rugby championship early next year. We have to fit it properly in the school calendar to be well appreciated by the education sector as well. We had planned it for the end of this year, but have to shift it to next year due to the change of government in the state. We need the full support of the relevant government ministries: of Education and Sports for it to be well appreciated. Thus the shift to early next year when the Executive Governor would have properly settled down and appointed his commissioners who will be our special guest of honour.

In line with this, we will like to kindly solicit for well meaning and children friendly companies and individual to sponsor or donate generously towards the successful hosting of the tournament.

The 10 participating schools are Ohuoba primary school, Niger College, Ogbe Secondary School, Prisons Secondary School, Emotan Junior Secondary, Idia Junior College, Ihogbe Secondary School, Emotan Senior Secondary, Asoro Grammar School and Idia Senior College.

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